complete verse (John 11:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 11:9:

  • Uma: “Yesus said to them: ‘Aren’t there twelve hours that are light during one day? People who walk in the light do not stub-their-toes, because they see the light of the sun that enlightens this world.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Isa answered in a parable, he said, ‘Do not be troubled. In one day there are twelve hours of light. If we (dual) walk in daytime, we (dual) do not stumble for the world is light.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Jesus answered, ‘Twelve hours is a day, and if someone walks in the day, he’ll not stub his foot because he is illumined by the sun.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Jesus said then by-illustration, ‘It’s-all-right, nothing yet will happen to us because the daytime is twelve hours, isn’t that so? If a person walks in the daytime, he will not stumble, because the path can-be-seen.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Jesus answered, saying, ‘Isn’t it so that twelve hours are one day? Well, that one who walks while it is still daytime, of course he won’t walk-into-something because he can see by the light of the sun.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Jesus gave a comparison, saying that it was not yet time that he would die. He said, ‘Isn’t it true that there are twelve hours of daylight in a day? Well, he who walks in the light will not stumble because he walks in the light which shines here on the earth.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 11:9

Both the Jews and the Romans divided the period from sunrise to sunset into twelve hours. Jesus’ question naturally expects the answer “Yes.” In a few languages there are still no terms for “hours.” However, one can always speak of “twelve divisions of the day” or “twelve parts of the day.”

In broad daylight is literally “in the day,” an expression intended to contrast the light of day with the darkness of night. Phillips and New English Bible have “daylight”; Jerusalem Bible has “daytime.” The closest equivalent in some languages is “while the sun is shining” or “while the sun is bright.”

For he sees the light of this world is a fairly literal translation of the Greek. Jerusalem Bible translates “because he has the light of this world to see by,” and New American Bible “because he sees the world bathed in light.” The meaning is obvious. This clause merely takes up the previous clause and explains it. The light of this world is clearly a reference to the sun, but almost as clearly John intends his readers to see in this statement a description of Jesus (8.12; 9.5). Therefore it would be wrong to translate “because he sees the sun.” It is better to use such a phrase as “the one who gives light to this world,” so that the implied allusion to Jesus himself may be seen.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .